Sunset Piano's final cremation

February 21, 2013 3:44 PM

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Robert Schumann's Arabeske was one of the pieces pianist Mauro Ffortissimo played nightly on the Sunset Piano in Half Moon Bay for the first two weeks of February. Tucked under the sheet music is a cremation permit for the piano, which was burned Sunday. less

Robert Schumann's Arabeske was one of the pieces pianist Mauro Ffortissimo played nightly on the Sunset Piano in Half Moon Bay for the first two weeks of February. Tucked under the sheet music is a cremation ... more

Robert Schumann's Arabeske was one of the pieces pianist Mauro... Photo-4230773.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

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Ffortissimo coated the piano with lamp oil, paraffin and kindling to prepare it for the burn.

Ffortissimo coated the piano with lamp oil, paraffin and kindling to prepare it for the burn.

Helpers start to light the piano on fire as the sun sets. Photo-4230775.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

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The piano sat for two weeks by the ocean while code enforcement officers turned a blind eye for the sake of art. But eventually Ffortissimo was told he had to remove the old piano, and he decided cremation was the proper goodbye. less

The piano sat for two weeks by the ocean while code enforcement officers turned a blind eye for the sake of art. But eventually Ffortissimo was told he had to remove the old piano, and he decided cremation was ... more

The piano sat for two weeks by the ocean while code enforcement... Photo-4230776.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

'It took a while for the piano to go up in flames,' he said. 'I actually at one point had to use a very powerful torch, the same that roofers use to melt tar.'

'It took a while for the piano to go up in flames,' he said. 'I actually at one point had to use a very powerful torch, the same that roofers use to melt tar.'

'It took a while for the piano to go up in flames,' he... Photo-4230778.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

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'When it did finally catch on fire, I played as long as I could while a fire dancer moved around,' he said. 'My eyebrows were burned a bit.'

'When it did finally catch on fire, I played as long as I could while a fire dancer moved around,' he said. 'My eyebrows were burned a bit.'

'When it did finally catch on fire, I played as long as I... Photo-4230779.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

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'Some people cried, some cheered, the sun came down, and we all gathered in silence for a while in a kind of stupor,' he said. 'We were witnessing the end of something quite amazing.'

'Some people cried, some cheered, the sun came down, and we all gathered in silence for a while in a kind of stupor,' he said. 'We were witnessing the end of something quite amazing.'

'Some people cried, some cheered, the sun came down, and we... Photo-4230780.57188 - StamfordAdvocate

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The piano came from a woman who had grown up with it and kept it in her home in Half Moon Bay, where her own children learned to play on it. When she had to move out of the house for financial reasons, the new owners tried to have it tuned, but it was too far gone. less

The piano came from a woman who had grown up with it and kept it in her home in Half Moon Bay, where her own children learned to play on it. When she had to move out of the house for financial reasons, the new ... more